Opposition lawmakers in India have criticised legislation that would make insulting the national song Vande Mataram a criminal offence, saying the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to force Muslims and minorities to worship Hindu deities, according to The Times of India.
The bill has drawn sharp criticism from members of several opposition parties, including the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Indian National Congress.
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi accused the ruling BJP of attempting to impose Hindu religious practices on Muslims and other minorities.
“This bill is a grave violation of Article 25 that gives freedom of religion. This is intended to convert India into a Hindu theocratic state,” Owaisi noted.
DMK MP A. Raja, who proposed an amendment to the bill in the Lok Sabha, described the legislation as a "fraud" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. He argued that the Constituent Assembly had approved only two paragraphs of Vande Mataram.
“This bill will not stand judicial scrutiny. This is against the secular fabric of India, and we will not accept it,” he said.
Congress MP Tariq Anwar criticised the government for advancing the legislation without consulting opposition parties.
“This govt tries to impose its views on people,” he said.
Another Congress lawmaker, Ujjwal Raman Singh, condemned the passage of the bill without parliamentary debate, calling it a “black day” in India’s history.
